{"id":8024,"date":"2017-02-26T11:15:15","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T22:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/?p=8024"},"modified":"2020-02-24T13:38:25","modified_gmt":"2020-02-24T00:38:25","slug":"apricot-chocolate-popped-quinoa-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/apricot-chocolate-popped-quinoa-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"Apricot Chocolate Popped Quinoa Bars"},"content":{"rendered":"

These no-bake Apricot Chocolate Popped Quinoa Bars are a breeze to make and packed full of plant protein. Pumpkin seed butter holds them together – giving a pop of green whilst providing some zinc. A delicious afternoon snack.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Apricot<\/p>\n

Life is good – it’s Sunday after all, my favourite day of the week. I’ve slept in, done a fabulous meditation, pulled a daily tarot card (The Star: Life is about to get brighter!) and enjoyed a healthy cooked breakfast, smugly staring out at my lounge from my comfy vantage point, pleased as punch for a neat-as-a-pin house (its been a week of chaotic mess, so this is a huge win).<\/p>\n

I think a big nature walk and a wee kip in the sun are in order, to really top things off.<\/p>\n

This is a day worth celebrating, because: the busier life gets, the easier it is to put self-care on the back-burner in order to free up more time to do the stuff. Let me tell you from past experience: this simply doesn’t work.<\/p>\n

The busier you are, the more you absolutely need this quiet time to de-compress and re-fill that cup. You’ll come back to work energised, with a renewed sense of creativity, clarity and focus, and an increase in productivity. Take care of you, is all I’m sayin’.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now, today’s recipe was a success-disaster. A success, because it turned out absolutely delish – the perfect protein-packed snack to take to work for an afternoon pick-me-up, yet, a disaster, because the batch is gone, it’s only Sunday, and there will be no such bars for the week ahead.<\/p>\n

Is this a good problem to have I wonder? I’m undecided. But let’s look at what they’re made of…<\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=\"No-bake Apricot Chocolate Popped Quinoa Bars: delicious & protein packed. Recipe here!\" username=\"laurenglucina\"]<\/p>\n

\"Stack<\/p>\n

Apricot Chocolate Popped Quinoa Bars<\/h2>\n

Popped quinoa <\/strong>is a real treat – and although you can prepare it yourself at home (shake a pot filled with organic dry quinoa over medium heat till they pop), I prefer to buy them ready made, given my history of pot-burning.<\/p>\n

I find they have the crunchiest texture when compared to other puffed grains (millet<\/a>, amaranth, rice, sorghum<\/a>, buckwheat<\/a>), which makes them a great pick for these snack bars.<\/p>\n

Nutritionally, they’re packed full of protein<\/a>, providing all essential amino acids. They are a good source of fibre and the minerals magnesium<\/a>, iron<\/a> and zinc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pumpkin seed butter <\/strong>caught my eye this week – it is the most luscious mossy green colour. Ashamedly, I purchased this also – but only because my food processor is out of action.<\/p>\n

To make a batch yourself, simply blend 4-6 cups of either raw and activated or roasted pumpkin seeds in a food processor for up to 20 minutes, till smooth and buttery. Add salt to taste and you’re done.<\/p>\n

Pumpkin seeds are one of the most concentrated plant sources of the mineral zinc<\/a>, needed for healthy immune function, wound healing, healthy skin and gut repair. They also contain the antioxidant vitamin E, in numerous forms.<\/p>\n

Organic dried apricots <\/strong>provide some juicy sweetness. What a contrast when you put a conventional dried apricot side by side with an organic one – the conventional dried apricots are bright orange, whilst the organic ones are dark brown (and far softer).<\/p>\n

Conventional dried fruits are preserved with sulphites (in the form of sulfur dioxide), which are also widely used in alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n

Sulphites can trigger allergy-like symptoms in people with underlying asthma or hay fever. But they can also adversely affect gut health.<\/p>\n

Sulphites are broken down by bacteria in the colon, producing a potentially toxic compound called hydrogen sulphide, which can contribute to abdominal distension.<\/p>\n

This compound can damage the mucosa of the intestinal wall, as it competes with beneficial short-chain fatty acids. It can also contribute to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) [1,2].<\/span><\/p>\n

They may be a little more expensive, but organic dried apricots are always my preferred choice.<\/p>\n

\"Overhead<\/p>\n

I very <\/em>roughly entered the recipe into one of my nutrition apps – per bar, we have approximately 9g protein<\/a> (not bad!), 4g fibre, 3g iron<\/a> (great!), and 1mg zinc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The sugars are sitting at around 10g  – due to the dried apricots, brown rice syrup and dark chocolate. I’m not too concerned about this (particularly not when in the context of a balanced, whole foods diet) – the dietary fat, fibre and protein in the bar all slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream, effectively reducing the glycemic index of the bar.<\/p>\n

You could always opt for a stevia-sweetened dark chocolate as a topping, or use a bit more pumpkin seed butter in place of the brown rice syrup. Happy days.<\/p>\n

Enjoy my friends, these are truly delicious – and come with a 9.5 out of 10 rating from my partner (it could never be a perfect 10, as its ‘not pizza’).<\/p>\n

 \"Close\"Apricot<\/strong><\/p>\n

More plant-powered treats<\/h2>\n